Match Report - Athlone Town 0 Bray Wanderers 1
Posted on 24th August 2024 at 19:59
Athlone Town 0 Bray Wanderers 1
Bray recorded a hat-trick of wins over rivals Athlone this season in the SSE Airtricity First Division race for the play-offs.
For the second away match running, Guillermo Almirall popped up with a second half winner to seal all three points on Friday at the Athlone Town Stadium.
Cole Omorehiomwan made his first start since last May in the only change to the side who’d gone down at home to UCD at the Carlisle Grounds two weeks ago.
It would be the defender’s 50th appearance for the club as the team recorded a tenth clean sheet in all competitions this year.
On the bench, Shane Griffin made a welcome return after a spell out injured. Both Philip Cooney and Caleb O’Neill were promoted up from the U20s to the substitutes.
Conor Knight would also marked the occasion of his 50th appearance in the Green and White colours by entering the fray midway through the second period.
He replaced Darren Craven with the vice-captain having gone close as early as the fourth minute with a stinging low long range drive that narrowly missed the target.
The first period was tight overall with clear cut chances at a premium.
Zach Nolan (3), Omorehiomwan (33) and skipper Kilian Cantwell (44) made vital blocks for the visitors.
The one time Jimmy Corcoran was troubled saw him parry Kyle Robinson’s 40th minute drive. Then recover to clear before Dean Ebbe could pounce.
The Seasiders had opportunities too.
Ben Feeney fizzed across goal on the half hour with Lee Axworthy scrambling to keep out Harry Groome’s 37th minute effort.
Home captain Aaron Connolly flashed over from 20-yards in the 49th minute after Cantwell had initially headed clear as the action became end to end after the interval.
On 55, Kieran Cruise slipped a pass infield to Craven. He played in Almirall, but Axworthy made a fine block inside the penalty area.
Town substitute Peter McGregor hooked a volley on the run from 16-yards just past the far left upright on 58 after German Fuentes Rodriguez’s through ball.
The woodwork denied Cruise seconds later at the other end, He linked with Craven before shooting off the corner of bar and post from 35-yards.
Gideon Tetteh was next to go close in the 62nd minute as he cut in from the left flank but drilled into the side netting.
Bray continued to withstand the Midlanders. And counterattacked in the 73rd minute.
Cruise channelled a ball over the top for Feeney to chase down., He got behind two defenders but was thwarted by Axworthy. However, the striker gathered the loose ball to set up Almirall. But the home keep got down well to save.
The turning point arrived in the 76th minute for the Wicklow outfit.
Nolan threw to John O’Sullivan. The pair exchanged passes with O’Sullivan clipping into Feeney form the left flank.
On the edge of the box, his deft touch set up Almirall to smash in a first time low left footed volley into the bottom right corner of the net to seal the win.
Athlone Town: Lee Axworthy; Amardo Akeem Oakley (Oisin Duffy 88), German Fuentes Rodriguez, Dylan Hand, Brian Torre; Daniel McKenna, Aaron Connolly; Gideon Tetteh, Leonardo Gaxha, Kyle Robinson (Peter McGregor 53); Dean Ebbe (Noah van Geenen 74).
Subs not used: Michael McHugh, Shane Forbes, Mark Huynh, Matthew Leal, Alexander Byrne, Jack Harrington.
Booked: McGregor 90 + 1.
Bray Wanderers: James Corcoran; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Cole Omorehiomwan, Zach Nolan; Harry Groome, John O'Sullivan (Zayd Abada 85),
Guillermo Almirall (Shane Griffin 81), Darren Craven (Conor Knight 69), Kieran Cruise; Ben Feeney.
Subs not used: Callum Thompson, Phillip Cooney, Josh McGlone, Caleb O'Neill, Billy O'Neill, Stephen McGuinness.
Booked: O’Sullivan 32.
Referee: Glen Geraghty (Dublin)
Pictures: Gerry Scully and Peter Minogue.
Tagged as: Senior Team
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